Infant and Preschool Center

Infant and Preschool Center Teachers

Sherri Moon - Director/Lead Teacher

Sherri Moon earned a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Western Illinois University. She was awarded the Outstanding Preservice Teachers Award during her senior year. She completed a Master in Elementary Education, with an emphasis in Early Childhood, from WIU in 2010. She also holds a Level 5 ECE Credential from Illinois. Sherri began her career working with young children, ages 6 weeks to 6 years, as a childcare assistant. After a year’s experience, she then worked as a program assistant for the Macomb School Districts pre-kindergarten program for 2 years before teaching first grade for 4 years. A majority of Sherri’s expertise stems from her 15-year experience teaching kindergarten, also in the Macomb School District. Altogether, Sherri has over 25 years of experience working with young children. Sherri was appointed the Director/Lead Teacher of the Infant and Preschool Center at WIU in 2011. Since her appointment at WIU, she has been awarded the Outstanding Mentor Teacher Award. During her spare time, Sherri loves to read and spend time with her family, especially her grandchildren!

Sandy Pendell - Lead Teacher Infant/Toddler

Sandy Pendell received a Bachelor degree from Western Illinois University in Elementary Education. She completed a Master in Elementary Education, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education in 2012, also from WIU. She also holds a Level 5 ECE Credential from Illinois. Sandy has taught elementary school, preschool, infants and toddlers. Ms. Pendell has been employed at the Western Illinois University Infant and Preschool Center since 2000, and became a Lead Teacher in 2013.

Sandy enjoys spending time with her family. You can also find her playing in the dirt while she is planting her flowers. She also enjoys playing piano, reading, journaling and taking part in the activities at her church.

Kelly Morck - Lead Teacher Preschool

Kelly Morck received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Illinois State University, and a Master in Early Childhood Education from Western Illinois University. She also holds a Level 5 ECE Credential from Illinois. She has had seven years of teaching experience, including four years working with Title I students, and 3 years working with preschool-aged children. Kelly joined the WIU Infant & Preschool Center in 2013. Her interests include riding her horses, playing with her dogs and being outside.

Michelle Steele - Teacher Preschool

Michelle Steele is the new teacher in the preschool room with Ms. Kelly. She was born and raised in Peoria, Il but Macomb is home now. She's married and has 3 children. Her children are; Myanna who is 14 a freshman at Macomb High, Jermaine Jr. is 8, in 3rd grade, and Madisyn who is 5 and just started kindergarten this year! She's a WIU grad with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Women Studies. She also has an Associate’s in Child Development from Illinois Central College in East Peoria.

Michelle loves working with children and have been doing so for a very long time. Her last position was with Las Cruces Public Schools as an educational assistant. The 2016-2017 school year she worked in a multi-age classroom with K-1st graders. She specifically taught phonics/reading and math to a group of 9 kindergarteners for an hour each every day as well as assisting the teacher in the classroom. Just about all her work history has been with children. She started a year after high school at Methodist Family Child Care Center in Peoria, IL., then became employed Catch A Star Learning Center in Macomb upon moving to Macomb to continue her education. Before leaving Macomb, she was employed at PACT Headstart, where she worked the first year in the 0-3 classroom and her second year as a Pre-k Headstart teacher. In 2010, Michelle relocated to Las Cruces, New Mexico due to her husband's employment with the federal government.

Michelle is excited to be back here in Macomb, surrounded by family, and now a new work family! She says the team here at WIU Infant & Preschool Center is amazing and she's very happy to be a part of it! They are committed to providing your family with a loving and developmentally sound foundation for a lifetime of learning!

April Carson - Teacher

April Carson has spent her entire life in this area. When it came time for April to attend college, she knew she wanted to work with children. She received a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Western Illinois University. April worked at a local daycare for 11 years as a teacher, head teacher, and assistant director. She established life-long relationships with countless families. April then opened a licensed home daycare for 5 years until her youngest started school. At that time, she worked in a local school as a teachers aide in a Special Education classroom. She did this for 3 years until she became a teacher for PACT Headstart. She is also a Foster Parent. She loves every minute working at the WIU Infant and Preschool Center. She has three children, Bethany who is currently in the education program at WIU, Brooke and Gracie. Her life is busy with driving her children around to activities and surrounding herself with her family. She loves children and is most happy when surrounded by a roomful of shining little faces. She considers it a pure joy to look at the world through the eyes of a child!

Shirley Adams - Teacher

Shirley Adams joined the Infant and Preschool Center team back in October 2015. Prior to joining the Center, Shirley had many experiences working with students of all ages. She was the Home Economics Teacher at Bushnell-Prairie City High School from August 1977 to May 1979. After that, Shirley opened her In-Home Day Care here in Macomb from August 1979 until May 1987. She then became the Program Assistant for Macomb Senior High School in August 1994 until May 1999, where she was in charge of the library and special education program. From August 1999-June 2011, Shirley served as a Special Education Teacher for Macomb Senior High School. After leaving that position, Shirley was a substitute teacher in the Macomb Community Unit School District for 1 year.

Shirley has acquired awards for her outstanding teaching. She was awarded the Crystal Apple Award from the Illinois Education Association in May 2011, and received the Bomber of the Month Teacher Award in January 2007. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics, and graduate hours in Special Education from Western Illinois University. She also holds a Level 4 ECE Credential from Illinois.

Shirley LOVES watching her grandchildren. During her spare time, Shirley likes to take part in her church's activities, sew, read, garden and work on home improvement projects.

Emily Thurman - Substitute Teacher

Emily Thurman has been working at the center since 2007. She started out as a student worker and couldn’t get enough of the children. When she graduated in 2010, she decided to continue her work here and become a substitute teacher. She loves playing with the children and taking care of babies!

Karen Thurman - Chef

Karen Thurman has worked at the Center since 2004. She likes to cook and bake, and has five children. She also likes to play volleyball and build small furniture and cabinets. Thurman enjoys the fun things the little ones do and say! Preschool is fun!